Wisdom of Sirach

Objective:  

 

 Faith in God 

 

 Honoring your father and mother 

 

 Resources: 

 Fr Tadros Y Malaty Commentary 

 Catena Bible Commentary 

 Fr Dawoud Lamie Bible study (Arabic) 

 Reading: 

 Sirach 2: 1-11 

 Sirach 3: 1-34 

 Sirach 4: 1-11 

 Sirach 6: 1-17 

 Sirach 24: 1-17 

 Sirach 38: 1-15 

 Sirach 51:  To be prayed at the end as a group prayer 

 Key verse(s): 

 “You that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail ” Sirach 1:8 

 

 Comments: 

 Also known as Joshua the Son of Sirach 

 The last of the Wisdom Books 

 It is the longest of the Wisdom Books 

 We read multiple chapters/paragraphs during the Great Lent in our Coptic Lectionary 

 Sirach was written close to the Nativity of our Lord 

 It was originally written in Hebrew and then translated into Greek 

 The Book contains plenty of virtues and practical and reflective wisdom 

 Sirach 51 is a thanksgiving prayer by Joshua 

 Ch.2

 V.1: When we grow spiritually, the devil will increase the wars as long as we are getting closer to Christ as he wants us to fail

 This is opposite to the people who think that being close to God will prevent temptations from them 

 

 V.5: As gold gets more purified when tried in fire, the man also increases spiritually and gets purified more when he resists the devil 

 V.11: God took care of the people before us and took care of us before in our lives, He will not stop! 

 

 Ch.3

 Ch. 2 talks about how to honor your father and mother 

 This chapter expands on the commandment that God gave Moses 

 V.1: The spiritually wise people come together to form the Church 

 V.19-34: Talks about the difference between a pure heart and an unwise heart 

 

 Ch. 4

 V.1-11: The importance of giving donations and supporting those who are in need 

 This has to be done with wisdom lest we give money to people who use it in bad/wrong means 

 V.11: If you support the poor, you become a child of God 

 

 Ch.6

 The importance of a Godly friend 

 V.17: Fearing god = Choosing friends who fear God too = Healthy friendships 

 

 Ch. 24

 The Fathers understand this chapter to be a reference to Christ 

 V.5: Begotten from the Father before all ages 

 V.7: He is a heavenly God 

 V.13: He incarnated as a seed of Jacob 

 V.14: He is an Etenral God 

 V.17: He was exalted on the Cross in front of multitudes 

 

 Ch. 38

 Medicine and medications are from God 

 V.2: God has blessed us with medicine and medications 

 V.3: The knowledge of a doctor is a talent that God gave to use for the glory of His name 

 V.4: Taking medications is not against the faith. We understand that God blessed us with these. The herbs are created by God that cause the cure 

 V.9: Being sick should encourage the person to pray more, not an excuse to not pray 

 V.9-12: shows the correct order. You pray and repent first, and then rely on medicine 

 V.14: A message to the doctor. Don't forget God's hand and always pray for the patients 

 V.15: Sometimes God uses the disease for people to pray and repent (e.g. Covid 19) 

 

 Ch. 51: To be prayed at the end as a group prayer. 

 Review/recap questions: **Servant may add more questions 

 

 Homework: **Servant may add more questions